Improvement in key-boards for musical instruments



T. F. SIMPSON.

KEYBOARDS FOR MUSICAL ws'rnvmms. 176,365.

Patented April 18, 1876.

N. PEYEHS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,-

THEODORE F. SIMPSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

iMPROVEMENT IN KEY-BOARDS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,365, dated April 18, 1876; application filed March 14, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE F. SrMPsoN, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification:

The invention relates to all those classes of musical instruments in which a key-board is employed; and consists in constructing the center of the key-board with a straight front line, in the ordinary manner, between about the points which would be intersected by straight lines drawn at right angles thereto from each side of the performer, and with the two ends of the keyboard, from these points outward, with forward curved front lines, the converging point of the lines between the keys in each curve being on lines passing near the sides of the performer and in his rear.

The object of the invention is to enable the performer to execute rapid and difficult passages of music with greater facility and certainty of correctness, the keyboard being within range of the natural sweep of the arms, whereby are avoided many movements of the body, elevating the elbows, and curving the arms and wrists, and whereby less muscular force is required to sustain the arms and wrists in the necessary position, and hence the performance is less fatiguin Figure l of the accompanying drawing is a perspective view of a portion of a musical inwhich is straight from B to B and curved at the two ends from A to B. 0 represents the seat of the performer. B D and B E and intermediate lines are parallel, and A D and B D and all intermediate lines converge and meet at the point D, and the lines B E and A E and all intermediate ones are also converging lines, and meet at the point E, the apex of each set of converging lines being at the side and in rear of the performer, as shown.

I do not claim, broadly, a curved key-board, nor one having two curves, the circles of which intersect, as I consider both of such forms objectionable; but

7 What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 In a musical instrument, a key-board, the front line of the central part of which is straight, and the front lines of the two ends are curved, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of March, 1876.

T. F. SIMPSON.

Witnesses! EDWARD BOYD, J OHN OGARA. 

